Ocala Regional, West Marion set target dates for $45M in projects

Published: Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 6:10 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 6:10 p.m.

Ocala Regional Medical Center and West Marion Community Hospital have set groundbreaking dates for their combined $45 million in major capital projects.

West Marion will break ground next month for its new cardiac catheterization unit, said Nathan Vooys, chief operating officer for both Ocala Regional and West Marion, which are both part of Ocala Health.

The hospital on State Road 200 west of Interstate 75 will add an additional 4,820 square feet to the north side of its campus to accommodate the new line of services, he said Wednesday. They will include diagnostic cardiac catheterizations, cardiac interventions such as stents and balloon angioplasties, and the implanting of other devices such as pacemakers.

Although West Marion will not offer open heart surgeries, “our goal is to create a whole stand-alone unit,” Vooys said. “The end game is to do all the interventional cardio procedures at West Marion.”

He said the decision to expand West Marion’s service line was based on the need of its patients on the west side of the county.

Ocala Regional already provides those services, but “often times with cardiac issues, time is of the essence,” Vooys said.

Currently, the 70-bed West Marion does not have any rooms where cardiac procedures can be conducted. The construction project is slated for completion by April 2015.

In addition to the cardiac center, West Marion also narrowed its date to begin construction to accommodate an additional 24 medical/surgical beds. Construction on that part — 13,212 square feet of space — will begin in October.

Vooys said the need for the additional general observation beds was a result of increased use. That project is expected to be finished by August 2015.

Meanwhile, Ocala Regional has set September as its target date to begin overhauling much of its intensive care unit — a process that will require adding an additional 56,000 square feet to its ground floor.

Currently, Ocala Regional has 26 ICU beds scattered in three areas of the hospital. The plan is to have a total of 48 ICU beds, with 34 of those beds in the one 56,000-square-foot area, Vooys said. That would allow Ocala Regional to reduce the number of ICU units from three to two.

Operating three ICU areas was not “a very efficient way to oversee that care,” Vooys said.

The ICU construction project will make up the bulk of the $45 million overall cost, with a price tag of $30 million. That project is slated for completion in September 2016.

Once completed, the combined projects will require 75 additional employees.

The general plans were announced in January. Since then, Vooys said, the two hospitals have worked on architectural plans, which takes a great amount of time because all the design work must be done from scratch.

When Ocala Regional’s trauma unit opened its doors two years ago, there was an increased demand for more ICU beds, Vooys said.

Ocala Health owns both Ocala Regional, 1431 SW First Ave., and West Marion. Ocala Health’s parent company is Hospital Corporation of America.

Vooys said the $45 million investment in the two hospitals, in addition to $9.2 million HCA spent on Ocala Regional for its new facade last year, added parking area and new emergency room entrance, is a sign of HCA’s commitment to Marion County,

He said the projects were “in the best interest of the community” and that the hospitals had faith the community “will grow and we want to be here to provide that (healthcare service).”

<p>Ocala Regional Medical Center and West Marion Community Hospital have set groundbreaking dates for their combined $45 million in major capital projects.</p><p>West Marion will break ground next month for its new cardiac catheterization unit, said Nathan Vooys, chief operating officer for both Ocala Regional and West Marion, which are both part of Ocala Health.</p><p>The hospital on State Road 200 west of Interstate 75 will add an additional 4,820 square feet to the north side of its campus to accommodate the new line of services, he said Wednesday. They will include diagnostic cardiac catheterizations, cardiac interventions such as stents and balloon angioplasties, and the implanting of other devices such as pacemakers.</p><p>Although West Marion will not offer open heart surgeries, “our goal is to create a whole stand-alone unit,” Vooys said. “The end game is to do all the interventional cardio procedures at West Marion.”</p><p>He said the decision to expand West Marion's service line was based on the need of its patients on the west side of the county.</p><p>Ocala Regional already provides those services, but “often times with cardiac issues, time is of the essence,” Vooys said.</p><p>Currently, the 70-bed West Marion does not have any rooms where cardiac procedures can be conducted. The construction project is slated for completion by April 2015.</p><p>In addition to the cardiac center, West Marion also narrowed its date to begin construction to accommodate an additional 24 medical/surgical beds. Construction on that part — 13,212 square feet of space — will begin in October.</p><p>Vooys said the need for the additional general observation beds was a result of increased use. That project is expected to be finished by August 2015.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ocala Regional has set September as its target date to begin overhauling much of its intensive care unit — a process that will require adding an additional 56,000 square feet to its ground floor.</p><p>Currently, Ocala Regional has 26 ICU beds scattered in three areas of the hospital. The plan is to have a total of 48 ICU beds, with 34 of those beds in the one 56,000-square-foot area, Vooys said. That would allow Ocala Regional to reduce the number of ICU units from three to two.</p><p>Operating three ICU areas was not “a very efficient way to oversee that care,” Vooys said.</p><p>The ICU construction project will make up the bulk of the $45 million overall cost, with a price tag of $30 million. That project is slated for completion in September 2016.</p><p>Once completed, the combined projects will require 75 additional employees.</p><p>The general plans were announced in January. Since then, Vooys said, the two hospitals have worked on architectural plans, which takes a great amount of time because all the design work must be done from scratch.</p><p>When Ocala Regional's trauma unit opened its doors two years ago, there was an increased demand for more ICU beds, Vooys said.</p><p>Ocala Health owns both Ocala Regional, 1431 SW First Ave., and West Marion. Ocala Health's parent company is Hospital Corporation of America.</p><p>Vooys said the $45 million investment in the two hospitals, in addition to $9.2 million HCA spent on Ocala Regional for its new facade last year, added parking area and new emergency room entrance, is a sign of HCA's commitment to Marion County,</p><p>He said the projects were “in the best interest of the community” and that the hospitals had faith the community “will grow and we want to be here to provide that (healthcare service).”</p>